Howard’s kick gives UR victory, share of CAA title

Mike London predicted at midweek that the game would resemble "a ping-pong match. You just hit the ball over and hit it back, hit it over, hit it back."

The way the University of Richmond's coach envisioned the Spiders' 119th meeting with William and Mary was how the final regular-season game at UR Stadium developed. Conservative game plans. Defensive superiority. An afternoon of trying to acquire field position.

Then at the end, a slam.

Richmond's Andrew Howard kicked a 48-yard field goal as time expired yesterday, lifting the Spiders to a 13-10 victory that secured a share of the Colonial Athletic Association championship with Villanova.

The Spiders (7-1, 10-1) will learn their first-round opponent in the FCS playoffs this afternoon at 3 p.m. The game will be played Saturday, with Richmond, the defending national champion, a likely host. The Tribe (6-2, 9-2) also will qualify.

"We have another opportunity," said Tribe defensive end Adrian Tracy, who had one of W&M's five sacks. "That's all we can ask for."

The largest crowd (17,527) since W&M was a guest in 1998 watched Howard hit a 42-yarder in the second quarter, then miss a 28-yarder and a 40-yarder before halftime. London said he considered replacing the senior from Hermitage High with freshman Wil Kamin.

"Something just told me you've got to stick with the veteran," London said. Maybe the voice reminded London that Howard beat the Tribe 23-20 last season with a 37-yard FG in overtime.

Howard came onto the field and moved a chunk of loose turf from the placement area as Spiders along the sideline knelt and held hands. He had missed five of his last six FG tries, including a 35-yarder wide left in the final seconds of a 21-20 loss to Villanova two weeks ago. This time, it was down the middle.

"Two good teams, and I think you would probably say two fairly evenly matched teams out there," said W&M coach Jimmye Laycock.

Before yesterday, senior quarterback Eric Ward led Spiders' scoring drives that tied or won games seven times in his career. Make it eight for the Atlanta resident who was named game MVP.

With 23 seconds left in a 10-10 game, W&M quarterback R.J. Archer rolled right on second and 10 and seemed torn between running the ball and tossing it about 5 yards to receiver Cameron Dohse. Dohse thought Archer was running and turned to block UR cornerback Justin Rogers. Archer passed into the hands of Rogers.

"He pumped the ball, and I guess he expected me to bite on it," Rogers said of Archer. "But I was just more concerned about the receiver in front of me."

The Spiders took over at their 47 with 14 seconds left.

"We've had to run it a few times over the past two years," Ward said of UR's hurry-up offense. "It's repetition, knowing what throws to make, which routes are going to be open, knowing the defense is trying not to give you too much yardage, but they're going to give you short throws.

"I knew we had about two plays, maybe get the timeout, and give the kid a shot. That's all I tried to do."

Ward hit Tre Gray (seven catches, 95 yards) for an 18-yard gain on first down, then Kevin Grayson for a 4-yard gain. UR called a timeout at :02. Howard then did what he did a year ago: kicked the Tribe.

W&M failed to take advantage of Ward's major mistake. With eyes fixed on intended receiver Jordan Mitchell, Ward threw a pass into the right flat in a 10-10 game with about six minutes left. Tribe linebacker Wes Steinman made a diving interception at the UR 32. But a holding penalty set back the Tribe, and Brian Pate was just short on a 52-yard FG try.

"Other than that holding call and other than that interception at the end, other than those two things I thought we were probably OK," Laycock said.